Wow! Had an awful dining experience

[Couchy]

DH and I went out with another couple to a new big chain steakhouse last night. We had called an hour ahead. When we got there we were given a pager and told it would be another hour. We went to the bar and I ordered a martini and DH a beer and we paid. I took a sip and immediately saw and tasted blood. My glass was broken and it cut my lip . I don't like making a scene or complaining but I needed a napkin and my glass had blood on it. The bar tender looked horrified and was extremely apologetic . She made a new one and sent the manager over .
The manager apologized and walked away. No offer to pay for my drink , give us an appetizer , nothing. He handed my DH his card and walked away. I am not a give me free stuff person but I just cut my lip on your glass and you don't even offer to pay for that drink! We laughed it off and were seated about 30 min. Later.
I ordered a steak medium rare and another martini. The other couple ordered as well. Service was painfully slow but we did not really care since we were talking. Our drinks took 30 minutes to arrive . Our entrees about an hour. I had ordered my steak plain with no seasoning and my veggies dry. I cut the steak open and it was well done not medium rare . My friends steak was also well done but told them she would eat it since she was hungry. Her husband did not get the lobster tail add on he ordered. I sent mine back because I hate well done . I reminded them again I did not want seasoning.

20 minutes later it comes out. It is medium well and has seasoning on it. I give it back and tell them forget it. The manager asks if there is anything he can get me. I tell him shrimp cocktail because it's quick and maybe a side salad. He brings both.

The bill comes. We were charged in full minus my steak. The manager charged me for the shrimp and side salad that he offered to me. Friend was charged for lobster tail that was never brought even though it was asked for 3 times and they had charged us for another round of drinks we ordered that never arrived

Flagged down the manager and said it was unacceptable . Charged for things we never got and shrimp be offered to get me because my meal came out wrong twice. He took off the lobster and drinks we did not get.

 

[thedonduck]

DH and I went out with another couple to a new big chain steakhouse last night. We had called an hour ahead. When we got there we were given a pager and told it would be another hour. We went to the bar and I ordered a martini and DH a beer and we paid. I took a sip and immediately saw and tasted blood. My glass was broken and it cut my lip . I don't like making a scene or complaining but I needed a napkin and my glass had blood on it. The bar tender looked horrified and was extremely apologetic . She made a new one and sent the manager over .
The manager apologized and walked away. No offer to pay for my drink , give us an appetizer , nothing. He handed my DH his card and walked away. I am not a give me free stuff person but I just cut my lip on your glass and you don't even offer to pay for that drink! We laughed it off and were seated about 30 min. Later.
I ordered a steak medium rare and another martini. The other couple ordered as well. Service was painfully slow but we did not really care since we were talking. Our drinks took 30 minutes to arrive . Our entrees about an hour. I had ordered my steak plain with no seasoning and my veggies dry. I cut the steak open and it was well done not medium rare . My friends steak was also well done but told them she would eat it since she was hungry. Her husband did not get the lobster tail add on he ordered. I sent mine back because I hate well done . I reminded them again I did not want seasoning.

20 minutes later it comes out. It is medium well and has seasoning on it. I give it back and tell them forget it. The manager asks if there is anything he can get me. I tell him shrimp cocktail because it's quick and maybe a side salad. He brings both.

The bill comes. We were charged in full minus my steak. The manager charged me for the shrimp and side salad that he offered to me. Friend was charged for lobster tail that was never brought even though it was asked for 3 times and they had charged us for another round of drinks we ordered that never arrived

Flagged down the manager and said it was unacceptable . Charged for things we never got and shrimp be offered to get me because my meal came out wrong twice. He took off the lobster and drinks we did not get.

And that is when I wouldn't return and find them on Facebook (if possible) and write a complaint! I am also one not to complain or want free food, but your meal seems completely ridiculous to me!

 

[mombrontrent]

Sounds like the manager was overwhelmed in a new and busy restaurant. How new is this restaurant? Sometimes service is slow and kinks with an all new staff have to be worked out the first month of business which is why I tend to avoid going to places that just opened.

However your treatment by the manager was ridiculous. It would be enough to make me never go back. You should not have had to pay for the drink that cut your lip or the shrimp cocktail and side salad. It would make me very angry that you had to keep asking for food that was never brought out and than charged or it Don't return and tell everyone about your experience.

 

[mnrose]

And this is why I never go to "new" restaurants for at least a month or two after they are open. There is definitely a shake out period.

That being said, the manager's response was not acceptable. He ought to have comped your meal from the get go.

 

[abdmom]

The manager's response was fine to me. Problem with the drink - he had it replaced. Problem with the steak - he took it off your bill. Problem with the lobster - he took it off your bill.

I don't understand the point of view that because you had problems with certain items that other items should be free. If you went to Macy's and had a problem with a toaster, should they comp the set of pots and pans that you also bought?

 

[Jennasis]

A chain you say? Time to call corporate.

 

[Janepod]

The manager's response was fine to me. Problem with the drink - he had it replaced. Problem with the steak - he took it off your bill. Problem with the lobster - he took it off your bill.

I don't understand the point of view that because you had problems with certain items that other items should be free. If you went to Macy's and had a problem with a toaster, should they comp the set of pots and pans that you also bought?

I agree. It's unfortunate that all these things happened, but I think the management's response was appropriate.

 

[mombrontrent]

I disagree that the managers response was appropriate. She didn't order the shrimp coctail or salad originally. She gave them two chances to make her steak and they failed both times. By this time I am sure the rest of her party was done their meals and after an already long wait she was probably very hungry. The manager offered her something else and she picked a quick an easy alternative. Not something she wanted but rather something to fill her up and not keep her party waiting any longer while they "attempted" another steak. Plus she said this was a steakhouse and they cooked both her and her friends steaks wrong. If a steakhouse can't cook a steak...

Also the managers response was appropriate only if his goal was not to have these customers back in the restaurant. If you want repeat business then you should be trying to have your diners leave happy. I would also call corperate if this is a chain.

 

[lynxstch]

How about sharing the name of the 'chain' steakhouse you went to so the rest of us can be aware?

 

[BeachGirlFLA]

I disagree that the managers response was appropriate. She didn't order the shrimp coctail or salad originally. She gave them two chances to make her steak and they failed both times. By this time I am sure the rest of her party was done their meals and after an already long wait she was probably very hungry. The manager offered her something else and she picked a quick an easy alternative. Not something she wanted but rather something to fill her up and not keep her party waiting any longer while they "attempted" another steak. Plus she said this was a steakhouse and they cooked both her and her riends steaks wrong. If a steakhouse can't cook a steak...

Also the managers response was appropriate only if his goal was not to have these customers back in the restaurant. If you want repeat business then you should be trying to have your diners leave happy. I would also call corperate if this is a chain.

I agree with this...I also don't like their response to the cut lip...There was blood in your drink and I don't think you're a vampire so you weren't going to finish the drink. It should have been on the house and they should have made sure you didn't need first aid as a cut on the lip can leave a scar.

 

[eliza61]

The manager's response was fine to me. Problem with the drink - he had it replaced. Problem with the steak - he took it off your bill. Problem with the lobster - he took it off your bill.

I don't understand the point of view that because you had problems with certain items that other items should be free. If you went to Macy's and had a problem with a toaster, should they comp the set of pots and pans that you also bought?

Macys is not a service industry. A service industry operates on 2 parts. The first is SERVICE. If that is lacking IMO some thing is done.
This was poor service from the moment the cut lip happened. Totally unacceptable & I say this from a restaurant owner point of view. How do you replace a cut lip?

Now the second issue is the dining out requires a certain time commentment. Ok you order, food order comes out wron has to sent back, order is not complete and bill is incomplete.
So yes manager took it off the bill but sorry, the reason why I ordered it was because I wanted to eat it. I mean that is why you go to a restuarant. So now time has been wasted and customer still hasn't been satisfied.

In my family's eatery, this would have been a moot point, the a nanosecond a customer injured themselves we would have been falling over ourselves to make sure the rest of the evening was picture perfect AND for the rest of the week, some one would have been on a full fledged "glass check"

 

[Cindy B]

Once they said it would be an hour after you called ahead, I would be walking out. End of story.

I wouldn't wait at the bar, dealt with any poor steaks- just left.

That is why I only go to places with set reservations. We have a plethera of restaurants in our area- and I would have found one with set reservations- and left!

 

[happygirl]

The manager's response was fine to me. Problem with the drink - he had it replaced. Problem with the steak - he took it off your bill. Problem with the lobster - he took it off your bill.

I don't understand the point of view that because you had problems with certain items that other items should be free. If you went to Macy's and had a problem with a toaster, should they comp the set of pots and pans that you also bought?

 

[tiffjoy]

The manager's response was fine to me. Problem with the drink - he had it replaced. Problem with the steak - he took it off your bill. Problem with the lobster - he took it off your bill.

I don't understand the point of view that because you had problems with certain items that other items should be free. If you went to Macy's and had a problem with a toaster, should they comp the set of pots and pans that you also bought?

It's not the same. You cannot compare restaurants to a department store. They operate on completely different principles.

When you go out to dinner, you plan to eat as a group. The restaurant messing up her order twice made it so one, she didn't get to eat (which is the entire purpose if going to a restaurant) and two, when she was offered something else, I assume by that point she was eating alone while everyone else at the table was done. She had sat hungry watching them eat, as well.

A store takes back a return and replaces it for you. As long as they are pleasant in their interaction and switch out the non-working toaster for a new one, the customer is satisfied. I assume most customers do not hold a non-working item against a store as long as it doesn't happen repeatedly and is exchanged without issue. If the store does the things above, they have satisfied their customer.

When a restaurant messes up food and ruins someone's dining experience, an exchange does not usually satisfy a customer. This bad experience will linger, justifiably. If the restaurant wants that person to return, they have to negate the bad experience by handling it in a way that leaves the customer satisfied. This is usually achieved by comping the meal and offering a free item for the person to eat instead. Restaurant business 101. I'd say this manager needs a few more classes, but most chains are similar. They rely on their name rather than good customer service.

I also wouldn't go back, and is share my experience on yelp. Being new doesn't change poor customer service skills in management.

 

[wdwmom2]

And this is why I never go to "new" restaurants for at least a month or two after they are open. There is definitely a shake out period.

That being said, the manager's response was not acceptable. He ought to have comped your meal from the get go.

MTE!!!

If I go to a newly opened restaurant, I am prepared with the fact that everything may not run smoothly. It's something I know going in.

But the manager should have stepped up to the issue, and made sure that your experience was a satisfactory one. He dropped the ball on this one!

 

[MrsDuck]

A chain you say? Time to call corporate.

Agreed.

What a terrible experience!

 

[Praying Colonel]

Once they said it would be an hour after you called ahead, I would be walking out. End of story.

I wouldn't wait at the bar, dealt with any poor steaks- just left.

That is why I only go to places with set reservations. We have a plethera of restaurants in our area- and I would have found one with set reservations- and left!

Yep--anything I'm waiting 2 hours for, it better be a line where they're handing out money at the end of it. I'm definitely not waiting 2 hours for a meal at a chain steakhouse.

IMHO that was a big red flag the whole experience would be off, too.

 

[trip]

And this is why I never go to "new" restaurants for at least a month or two after they are open. There is definitely a shake out period.

That being said, the manager's response was not acceptable. He ought to have comped your meal from the get go.

I also won't go to a new restaurant until it has been open a couple of months. New management team, new staff, new back of the house leads to confusion. It takes a while to become a team and work out the kinks.


But, I agree that the manager should have comped your meal.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

And this is why I never go to "new" restaurants for at least a month or two after they are open. There is definitely a shake out period.

My brother-in-law has a 1 year rule. Refuses to eat anywhere new for a year because he's afraid he'll have a bad experience & never want to go back

 

[mr.bungle]

So the bartender made you a fresh martini at the bar and you still expected it for free? Sounds like they made it right and you should have paid for one martini, not zero.